Ultimate Guide: Leveraging User-Generated Content in WordPress

Originally Published at: https://wpswings.com/blog/wordpress-user-generated-content/

Still Juggling To Encourage Cost-Effective Conversions On Your WordPress Website?

Business competitions have altered the novice marketing personas and provided a new meaning to marketing or branding strategies i.e. authenticity. Purchase decisions are more likely to be influenced by the alphabetical soup of brands available over marketplaces.

Now think:

What Strategy Would You Apply To Drive Prospects In Such A Muddled Aura?

That’s where User-Generated Content aka. (UGC) comes into play, it is way more influential and powerful than any other engaging approach. There can be numerous ways to incorporate UGC within your marketing strategy, just move in with a positive attitude to persuade for contribution.

UGC is way more appealing and powerful than you imagine. So, are you ready to tap into this User-Generated Content vibe? Let me guide you through!

What Is User-Generated Content (UGC)?

User-Generated Content is nothing but a SMART approach engaging your customers within your brand promotion willingly. Such content initiates a more powerful yet humanized approach to gain trust.

Content created by activities on your WordPress website includes comments, testimonials, user reviews, social postings, product ratings, etc. User-Generated Content is a big winner for almost every demographic cohort, although Gen Y or the millennials to be the most active participants.

Studies from TurnToNetworks also state that around 90% of purchase decisions are influenced by user-generated content, as it sounds more genuine and authentic.

If your promotion strategy requires an innovative boost that is authentic yet powerful enough to drive conversions, then there’s no other way better than incorporating UGC.

When your customers advocate for your product and services based on their experience, then the approach becomes more humanized and makes it more compelling to flourish purchase intent.

Shoppers today are more sophisticated and marketers must understand discounts and free shipping offers are simply table-stakes.

–**Jim Davidson, Director of Research, TurnToNetworks

Still, not able to figure out the benefits of user-created content for your business; just sit back and witness the rise of UGC as well its outstanding impact on businesses who leverage them in the best way possible. Let’s go!

How Can User-Generated Content Be Prospective For Your Store On WordPress?

Yes, this is a very obvious question! Many of you are still hesitating to proceed and incorporate UGC within your marketing strategy, it’s common. Don’t panic, just proceed with baby steps.

Trust issues are still the biggest hurdles in developing genuine purchase intent; that’s where UGC act as a bridge binding brands to customers without any ample investment.

Gaining user-generated content from your prospective customers isn’t easy but can land you in conversions miraculously. UGC is way more influential and powerful than you think, often overlooked but can provide ample benefits; a few of them are listed below-

1. Drive Conversions Organically

Brands harness user-generated content in order to overcome one of the greatest hurdles in driving conversion organically i.e. trust. Often people trust recommendations from their friends and family to purchase rather than advertisements and offers.

UGC contributions are more impactful and appealing than influencer content and the overpriced advertisements laid by brands. Mostly, they are unpaid contributions from your customers except in some cases.

2. Overcome User Skepticism

The purchasing power of your targeted audience can easily be harnessed if you focus more on UGC rather than other engagement methods to drive trust. Audiences are likely to trust authentic reviews from customers and make purchase decisions.

User-generated content assures a brand’s trust among people.

3. Expand Your Social Reach

UGC can easily be personalized and efficiently used in order to serve any type of promotional strategy. Social engagement lets you expand your brand’s reach above boundaries.

UGC can play a major role in that; you can easily curtail your hard-earned UGC data in multiple ways to drive engagement for your brand.

4. Create Authentic Glimpse (Ads)

Personalizing your UGC data in the form of appealing ads can be way more effective and outstanding approach to engage your prospects.

Many brands are making use of it quite effectively; still there’s a snag, you cannot employ all sorts of UGC in the form of ads unless scripted skillfully.

5. Save Your Time, Money, And Effort

Content anxiety is often observed when you’re supposed to promote your brand; innovation is possible but sometimes it’s troublesome to be creative yet engaging.

UGC might help you in overcoming such situations; it saves your time and effort and can be cost-effective (when the reward isn’t included) too.

6. Helps To Script Your Goals Strategically

The outstanding benefit of employing UGC lies in planning your promotional strategy. Authentic reviews related to your products and services can easily be acquired without any effort.

Prospectively strategizing your novice promotional approaches are possible when you employ UGC.

Now as you know very well that UGC might help you gain more, just by effectively employing it within your business; you might be curious about ways to persuade your customers for UGC. Just follow the lead, you’re almost there.

Effective Ways To Drive Contributions For User-Generated Content

1. Call-To-Create (CTC)

Yes, you read that right! You can even trigger a call-to-create button for your UGC contribution through email reminders, survey requests, forum discussion calling, review requests, etc. Your CTC approach for user-generated content might be appealing and encouraging enough to convince your customers for willing contributions.

2. Contest And Reward Participation

A reward system can also augment your UGC contributions swiftly. Loop your ordinary user-generated content offer with an attractive and engaging contest; witness the heat of UGC growing hastily.

Content gained through the UGC contest would be fresh and innovative enough to encourage more and more audiences to join the fun ride and make it more popular.

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3. Social Campaigns

Social Media when teamed up with UGC becomes more powerful; thereby showcasing your brand’s worth under a user-trusted lens. Humans are all green-eyed packs; hence UGC can spark up the brand desire with ease.

Social engagement through UGC rewards racks of appreciation and drives inspiration at broader cohorts with minimal efforts.

You can either create campaigns (#tag campaigns, community programs, etc.), drive attention through contests (reward review programs, a prize contest, etc.), engage through engaging UGC ads, call for discussion or issue resolution on comments, etc.

4. Customer Community Content

Driving engagement through discussions, quizzes, surveys, etc. among cohorts are effective forms of UGC. Community content can be effectively gained through social platforms by setting up a special community section there. In addition, you can also setup a personalized section within your WordPress website for effective UGC community contributions.

Such UGC contributions not only engage people. In addition, they even open doors to more appealing promotions with a direct approach.

As you now know all the strategies of persuading your customers for UGC contributions; After that let me guide you about effective UGC that you can gain from your customers.

Possible User-Generated Content Contribution Types

1. User Reviews

Comments

Interaction requires actual engagement. That’s where comments can help. They are outstanding engagement drivers for your product and service experience. Comments are nothing, just a short direct response from your audiences. Above all, they help you connect directly to your customer availing your service.

Comments can also be effective UGC contributions if they are in favor of your promotional strategy; however, some comments backfire. Therefore, just handle them with care.

The example given below depicts the comments section of a Blog Post.

Service Ratings

People award ratings to services used depending on their experience, generally on a scale of 1-5. Ratings work like power boosters, as audiences trust products or services based on their rating the most.

For better understanding, refer to the rating example of WP Swing’s after-sale service team contributed by their valued customers enjoying their digital product i.e. WooCommerce plugins.

Product Ratings

Product-related experiences are to be shared in the form of product ratings. However, such ratings are quite similar as service ratings but can be different as they include media submissions too. People prefer recommended ratings from strangers to script purchase intent rather than believing hearsays.

Below listed example states the product rating for WP Swing’s Plugin i.e. One Click Upsell Funnel for WooCommerce Pro contributed by their valued customers.

2. Social Community Cohorts

Unboxing Videos

Unboxing videos on YouTube, etc. can also act as UGC; as they also promote your product or service indirectly over a platform. People often purchase products recommended over unboxing videos as they provide an authentic glimpse of your product and features.

For instance, better check out this example-

It’s an unboxing video for iPad PRO posted on YouTube. This video provides an actual description of almost all features of the product. In addition, promoting the product indirectly. Brands can make use of such UGC contributions for their promotional growth of respective products.

Facebook / Instagram Pictures

Brands also employ social platforms to engage through UGC; this can be effective to drive traffic as well promote engagement over large demographics there.

Social campaigns and reward programs are all effective mediums of promotion available. People are fond of campaigns or contests and share their personal data. Such UGC effortlessly frame authentic glimpse of your product or service driving more engagement.

For Instance, refer to this example of a Starbucks Coffee product promotional image on Instagram posted by a user. Although this post defines customers’ personal joy moments shared in the store enjoying their product; it is an authentic UGC for the brand that’s why they are reshared respectively.

#Tag Campaigns

Contributions through creative campaigning feature #tag campaigns drive engagement levels on top. Such campaigns on social platforms create huge hullabaloo among a larger number of demographics.

If your brand requires an engagement boost within your boring engagement strategy, do adapt a creative campaign followed by #tags. Check out this example of the Brewdog’s #ThrowBackCrash campaign. According to the World Health Organization, Sao Paulo has the highest number of road traffic fatalities, with drunk driving being the second leading cause.⁣

Brewdog chose to develop a safety message in this environment, emphasizing the dangers of drunk driving during Brazil’s Carnival event. Using the Waze app, the “Throwback Crash” campaign tracked 50 deadly crashes from prior years throughout the course of the 15-day event.

Drivers may view real media coverage of the fatality and a message that said, “Don’t let it happen again.” when they clicked on the incident. “Don’t get behind the wheel if you’ve had too much to drink.” Learn more about the ThrowBackCrash campaign.

Branded Effects

Sounds exciting?

Yes!

Such approaches to engage people for contribution are new and bizarre even though people enjoy them the most. Brands offer badges, lenses, stickers, effects, etc. to flourish their UGC campaigns for promotion. Social platforms like Instagram and TikTok are already paving the trend path.

For instance, refer the example of this Popout 3D Instagram Effect (Instagram’s AR Effect) shared by an online video game brand to showcase 3D effect.

3. Other

Surveys

Surveys are another medium to directly research your customer experience and issues related to your service and product. Often brands conduct short surveys to innovate their promotional and service strategies.

The below example depicts a survey conducted and responses submitted as a coupon code under a coupon referral program offered.

Testimonials

Testimonials from prospective customers drive augmented engagement and act as USP’s for your brand and service. For better engagements, always showcase your best testimonials on your WordPress website’s home page or pillar page.

For better understanding, check out this example testimonial-

Success Stories

Success stories or Case Studies are nothing just the power-packed UGC approach to persuade a large number of customers depending on your product or service experience. Such stories are very influential as they are customer’s actual experiences changing their life miraculously.

Success stories are an impactful form of UGC which are appealing above all other approaches. In other words, they can drive serious engagements like partnerships and collaborations.

The below-stated example depicts how Ultimate Gift Cards for WooCommerce by WP Swings let Dee Why Therapeutic Centre help drive sales prospects swiftly.

Forum Postings

Cohort discussion communities play a vital role in driving sale prospects and also are outstanding UGC contributions. Often brands set up their community forums over different platforms; where people share ideas and discuss issues. Such discussions sometimes includes performance of related product or service that indirectly drive promotions through.

For instance, look into this example from WooCommerce Community–

User-Generated Content Based Ads

UGC can be a better medium to create emphasizing and appealing advertisements for your brand. When you plan to develop an advertisement out of your user-generated content, never forget to link a powerful CTA.

Whether your UGC-based ad engages prospects or not, your placed CTA might still land you in gains. The below-stated example depicts Sephora, a renowned cosmetic brand driving engagement with UGC Ad.

Now, as you are all aware of various UGC types; what next? How are you supposed to employ that raw UGC data to amplify your brand value? Let me tell you.

Ways To Transform Your Ordinary WordPress Website With User-Generated Content

Feature UGC Images as your product’s actual showcase image instead of professionally developed pictures. UGC images create a more appealing and authentic glimpse of your product.

Incorporating your customer review images within your product gallery sounds more authentic to develop purchase intent.

Highlight User Reviews, They are a medium to escalate your profit levels to heights. All in all, reviews are your key to drive purchase decisions swiftly.

Want to add value to your ordinary product description?

Just blend it with the power punch of user reviews; people are more likely to trust reviews rather than brand descriptions given.

Place Social Prompts Over Your Website; in this way, you might create encouragement for other customers regarding UGC contributions on your website. Sweet reminders to appreciate your customers contributions boost their spark and help you gain more UGC driven conversions.

Driving Community Contributions For UGC can be quite difficult initially but can be profitable for the future. However, if planned strategically. Community discussions might help you gain an idea of your actual user experiences and issues faced.

In conclusion, building a community around your brand can be of utmost benefit and can also let you encourage engagement with ease.

Now, you are all set to gain UGC and employ within your brand’s promotional strategy, but before that, you need to check out the few risks involved beforehand.

Best Practices To Avoid Risks In User-Generated Content Engagement

1. Negative Backfire Assessments

User-Generated content is beneficial for your business and brand promotion; that’s true. However, it won’t be useful every time. As user-generated content can backfire sometimes in form of negative comments and reviews.

Negative reviews or comments need to be managed well else they might land you in serious conflicts or smear your goodwill. Best practices to withstand include providing proper resolution to their issues or avoiding them.

2. Identify Your Requirements Well

When you are planning to gain UGC from your prospective customers, make sure you have a clear and concise idea about your requirements beforehand. Yes, that’s actually quite important.

If you are not having any idea regarding your requirements, then mobilizing UGC further for driving prospects might not work as expected.

Just discover what your customers love to create for you and bake that content along with a personalized tinge within your conversion strategies.

3. Understanding User Personas

Understanding your audience’s intent might also be an efficient step when moving further in promotions through UGC. You need to be crystal clear about your customer’s intent in order to showcase to them the effective content for engagement.

Unless you understand who your customers are and what they want, you won’t capture a dollar from their wallets. Make sure you showcase only what your customers need. It doesn’t matter how you slice up your UGC data for that.

4. Spam Filter

User-generated content might not always be useful for your promotion. Therefore, you need to keenly monitor UGC to avoid spam and fake content mishaps. Adding captcha verification can help you avoid automated system-based comments. Determine the potential of your UGC data beforehand.

5. Sharing Acknowledgement

UGC data sharing for promotional growth of your brand or business on WordPress might be risky; if you have not stated your data sharing policy beforehand. Make sure your customer is aware of your data sharing policies and regulations before contributing. Once they do contribute, you can use something like an author box to highlight their contribution.

6. Typos And SEO Optimization

Your customers advocating for your brand and business are not professionals. Similarly, all user-generated content is also raw. However, you need to be very strategic and skillful while employing that data for promotion.

Typo errors are common in that, either avoid them if you wish to have a more appealing and direct approach using the raw format as it is or rectify it beforehand for better SEO rankings.

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7. Learn From Your User-Generated Content

UGC being a power-packed marketing and promotional resource. Additionally, it can be used as a customer research tool. You can analyze your customer’s satisfaction level and improvements required on the basis of UGC.

On the flip side, if you are not supposed to share and utilize all available UGC contributions then at least learn from that. Try to figure out pain points and issues faced after purchasing your service or product and resolve them to improve.

Final Thoughts

In today’s fast-paced and constantly evolving online landscape, brands’ promotional content also needs to be innovative yet trendy. Direct approach and authenticity are major requirements underlying for businesses who aspire to harness trust from prospects.

User-generated content is not done by professionals. The best user-generated content eventually becomes those people gravitated in the professional world.

— Michael D. Eisner

UGC can surely help you lay lifelong foundations within your prospects. Just make sure you’re hitting the right nerve with the right tool. Approaches may differ contingently for your business and audience adaptations, just encourage your customers for willing contributions. Let them be the voice for you.